Current through Reg. 50, No. 187; September 24, 2024
(1) Purpose. The
purpose of this rule section is to require licensed insurers, managed care
entities, agents, brokers, third-party administrators, adjusters, and other
licensees of the Office to submit to the Office information of which they
become aware concerning unlicensed insurance activity in this State. Such
information will assist the Office in identifying unlicensed insurance activity
in advance of its occurrence and will therefore aid in protecting the public
from such activity.
(2)
Definitions. For purposes of this rule, the following definitions shall apply.
(a) "Agent" means and includes any person
holding any type and class of licensure, whether limited or unlimited, issued
by the Department under Chapter 626, Florida Statutes. The term also includes
any person licensed or registered by the Office as an agent, sales
representative, sales agent, salesperson, runner, or bail bondsman, under any
of the following statutes: Section
632.634, F.S., (fraternal
benefit agents); Section
634.031, F.S., (warranty
association sales person); Section
635.051, F.S., (mortgage
guaranty insurance agent); Section
641.386, F.S., (health
maintenance organization sales agent); Section
642.036, F.S., (legal expense
insurance sales representative); or Section
648.30, F.S., (bail bondsman or
bail runner). The term includes such persons whether residents of Florida or
not.
(b) "Arrangement" means a
fund, trust, plan, instrument, program, association, union, or other entity or
mechanism, any portion of which does, or purports to, provide for the transfer
of the risk of loss, damage, or expense resulting from a fortuitous event, from
the person or entity having incurred the loss, damage, or expense, to
another.
(c) "Collectively
bargained arrangement" means an arrangement (as defined in paragraph (b),
hereof), that exists pursuant to one or more bona fide labor agreements,
including arrangements that are sponsored by a union or a union local. For
purposes of the reporting requirements of this rule, the term also includes
arrangements in which both union members and non-members do or may participate.
For purposes of this rule, a collectively bargained arrangement does not
include an arrangement which is fully insured by a licensed insurer for so long
as the arrangement stays fully insured.
(d) "Office" means the Florida Office of
Insurance Regulation.
(e)
"Employee" means any individual employed by an employer.
(f) "Employee leasing" means a relationship
whereby an employee leasing company assigns its employees to a client and
allocates the direction of and control over the leased employees between the
leasing company and the client. The definition includes, and is subject to the
conditions, exclusions and limitations of Chapter 468, Part XI, F.S., and rules
promulgated in accordance therewith. Notwithstanding, for as long as an
employee leasing company makes available insurance benefits only through
licensed insurers, such employee leasing company shall not be a subject of the
reporting requirements of this rule.
(g) "Welfare benefit plan" means any plan,
fund or program maintained by an employer or by an employee organization, or by
both, to the extent that such plan, fund or program was established or is
maintained in whole or in part for the purpose of providing for its
participants or their beneficiaries, through the purchase of insurance or
otherwise, medical, surgical or hospital care or benefits, or benefits in the
event of sickness, accident, disability, death or unemployment.
(h) "Employee organization" means any labor
union or any organization of any kind, or any agency or employee representation
committee, association, group, or plan, in which employees participate and
which exists for the purpose, in whole or in part, of dealing with employers
concerning an employee benefit plan, or other matters incidental to employment
relationships; or any employees' beneficiary association organized for the
purpose in whole or in part, of establishing such a plan.
(i) "Employer" means any person acting
directly as an employer, or indirectly in the interest of an employer, in
relation to an employee benefit plan; and includes a group or association of
employers acting for an employer in such capacity.
(j) "Reportable multiple-employer welfare
arrangement (MEWA)," for purposes of this rule, means a person that provides or
offers insurance benefits or coverage to the employees of two or more
employers, whether alone or with other benefits. "Reportable MEWA" does not
include:
1. A licensed insurer;
2. An arrangement which is fully insured by a
licensed insurer for so long as the arrangement stays fully insured;
3. An employee welfare benefit plan
established or maintained by a rural electric cooperative or a rural telephone
cooperative; or
4. A MEWA licensed
by the Office.
(k) "Third
party administrator" or "TPA" means "administrator" under Section
626.88, F.S., and includes, but
is not limited to, all persons licensed by the Office as
administrators.
(l) "Unlicensed
insurer" is any insurer as defined in Section
624.03, F.S., including
self-insurers, which has not been licensed to transact insurance by the Office
under the provisions of the Florida Insurance Code; except that any person or
group authorized to self-insure for workers' compensation coverage pursuant to
Sections 440.38(1),
440.57, and
440.575, F.S., and the rules of
the Office is not an "unlicensed insurer" for purposes of this rule. The term
includes any plan required to be licensed under the provisions of Chapter 632
or 634-651, F.S.
(m) "Department"
means the Florida Department of Financial Services.
(3) Information Required to Be Reported.
(a) Any agent, third party administrator or
insurer with knowledge of an unlicensed insurer doing business in the State of
Florida, shall report the activities of the unlicensed insurer to the Office
and, if known, shall provide the following information:
1. Organizational information concerning the
reportable MEWA, employee leasing arrangement, welfare benefit plan, employee
organization, collectively bargained arrangement, or other unlicensed
insurer;
2. Information on any
insurance or reinsurance contracts, benefits or coverage offered by the
reportable MEWA, employee leasing arrangement, welfare benefit plan, employee
organization, collectively bargained arrangement, or other unlicensed
insurer;
3. The names, addresses,
and phone numbers of any officers or agents of the reportable MEWA, employee
leasing arrangement, welfare benefit plan, employee organization, collectively
bargained arrangement, or other unlicensed insurer; and
4. The names, addresses, and phone numbers of
any employers, employees, or individuals who may be enrolled by, or who will be
receiving services from the reportable MEWA, employee leasing arrangement,
welfare benefit plan, employee organization, collectively bargained
arrangement, or other unlicensed insurer.
(b) The report shall be made with the Office
at the following address: Attn: Unlicensed Entity Coordinator, Office of
Insurance Regulation, Market Regulation. The report can be made by phone,
(850)413-3155, or by mail to 200 East Gaines Street, Larson Building,
Tallahassee, FL 32399.
Rulemaking Authority 624.308(1), 624.33(2), 624.401(1),
624.4431, 629.989(6) FS. Law Implemented
624.09,
624.44,
624.307,
624.317,
624.437,
624.442,
624.446,
626.901,
626.910,
626.9571,
626.9581,
626.9591,
626.9601
FS.
New 6-15-92, Amended 9-7-93, 7-23-01 Formerly 4-230.033,
Amended 2-19-20.